Chicago Cubs could be without Brandon Morrow for the rest of the season

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon admitted a hard truth on Wednesday, confirming he may be running out of time to get closer Brandon Morrow back.

Since picking up his 22nd save of the season on July 15, Chicago Cubs closer Brandon Morrow has not set foot on a Major League mound. And, if his recovery continues at its current pace, he may not do so until next spring.

According to Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, manager Joe Maddon acknowledged this fact while talking to reporters ahead of Wednesday’s finale in Milwaukee. Obviously, for a team clinging to a slim advantage in the division race, that’s hardly what you want to hear.

"“At this point of the year, he’s been out for a bit,” Maddon told MLB.com. “We’re still not on the mound yet. It’s [Sept. 5], right? Twenty-five more days in the month. It’s hard to get him up to speed. You have to talk about building arm strength up, seeing hitters, throwing, day off, throwing again, and then just to be cautious regarding consecutive appearances or how many pitches he’ll throw. There’s a lot to consider yet.”"

A lot to consider, indeed. With the bullpen faltering in big ways early in the Milwaukee series, getting your ninth-inning guy back seems critical. But, then again, Pedro Strop has shown the ability to slam the door late. There’s plenty to dissect here, so let’s get started.